Indian court orders release of activist jailed over cow dung post

By Shuriah Niazi

NEW DELHI (AA) - India’s Supreme Court on Monday ordered the immediate release of an activist who was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) over a controversial Facebook post.

Erendro Leichombam was nabbed on May 13 for saying in the post that cow dung or cow urine will not cure COVID-19.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah said they “can’t allow the detention of this person even for a day” for such an act.

Appearing on behalf of the government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta requested to list the matter for tomorrow, but the bench granted Leichombam interim relief.

The court in its order said: “We are of the view that continued detention of the petitioner would be a violation of right to life and personal liberty under Article 21.”

The court also said that the order has to be complied with on or before 5 p.m. Monday.

L Raghumani Singh, Leichombam’s father, in his plea said that Erendro was detained solely to punish him for his criticism of leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for advocating cow dung and cow urine as cures for COVID-19.

Leichombam made the comments on Facebook after the death of then Manipur BJP President Saikhom Tikendra Singh from the coronavirus.